Friday, July 19, 2013

Talia Joy Castellano Dies; Cancer Battle Touched Millions, "It is with a heavy heart that we share with all of you that Talia has earned her wings at 11:22am."

That was the sad news Tuesday on the Angels for Talia Facebook page, where those touched by 13-year-old Talia Joy Castellano could follow her story.

The Los Angeles Times starts its report on her death this way:

"Talia Joy Castellano, a bubbly cancer patient who became an honorary CoverGirl with the help of Ellen DeGeneres, has died. She was 13.

"The Orlando, Fla., teenager became a YouTube sensation with her motivational makeup tutorial videos, which captured the attention of the TV host. Talia died Tuesday at Arnold Palmer Hospital, with the announcement coming from her official Facebook fan page."

US magazine reminds its readers that "Castellano, who was diagnosed with stage-four neuroblastoma when she was just 7 years old, started using makeup 'as a wig' shortly after she found out she was sick.

In July 2011, she began filming makeup tutorials in her bedroom — short, how-to videos for the glam, colorful looks she invented. Within months, she had hundreds of thousands of subscribers and millions of views on her more than 150 YouTube clips."

The most-liked comment on the Facebook post sums up what many are saying now:

"crazy how someone you've never met can hold a special place in your heart. many tears reading this. Fly high Talia."DeGeneres tweets that she is "thinking of my friend."